Writing instrument



E. H. SEIBERT EI'AL June 10, 1958 WRITING INSTRUMENT Filed May 2l, 1953 United States Patent O 2,838,026 WRITING INSTRUMENT Ernest H. Seibert and Joseph J. Cada, Chicago, lll., assignors to Cory Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application May 21, 1953, Serial No. 356,506 6 Claims. (Cl. 1Z0-42.03)

The present invention relates to writing instruments and more particularly to a novel ball point pen or writing instrument in which the writing point is readily moved or propelled to writing position, or moved to retracted position within the barrel.

Writing instruments of the ball point type that are now commercially available are either of the type in which the writing point is not retractable and a removable cap is provided for covering and protecting the writing point when not in use, or of the retractable type in which the removable cap is dispensed with and means are provided for retracting the point to inoperative position when not 1n use.

The present invention relates to the type of writing instrument in which the ball or writing point is retractable, but in which the actuating push button or the like of the prior pens or instruments has been eliminated and novel means and mechanism have been provided for propelling the writing point to writing or operative position and for retracting or withdrawing this writing point to inoperative position within the protection of the barrel when not in use.

It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to provide anovel writing instrument or ball point pen of the retractable type.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel writing instrument or ball point pen in which the ball or writing point is moved or propelled to exposed writing position by a novel c ap and plunger assembly, and automatically held latched in such writing position, and in which the writing point is automatically retracted upon releasing and unlatching the plunger.

The present invention further comprehends the provision of a novel writing instrument having a retractableV ball point that may be quickly and effectively retracted into the barrel upon depressing the pocket clip and actuat- -ing a release bar.l

turning the ball or writing point to inoperative kand pro-` tected position by merely actuating the free or vpocket engaging end of the clip. The means for propelling the writing point and the means for retracting the same are so constructed, arranged and related that the probability of the user returning the pen with its ball or writing point to his pocket or place of storage after use exposed is indeed remote. In fact, to return the pen to the pocket and its retention by the clip automatically depresses the release bar and disengages the latching means whereby retraction of the writing point is assured.

A still further object of the .present invention is'the provision of novel actuating means for propelling and repelling or retracting the writing point ofa pen in a most eiective, positive and novel manner and without an exposed push button or othermeans projecting from the body of the. instrument and thereby detracting fromv the appearance and life of the instrument. Unlike prior writing instruments of this general type, `the actuating mechanism is enclosed within an Yencompassing cap that Ieffectively protects the operating mechanism.

Another and important object of the presentinvention is the provision of a novel clip assembly for a writing instrument, and novel means for spring-loading the clip and retaining it in operative position.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, etlciency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such further objects, advantages and capabilities Yas will later more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

In the drawing: Y v

Figure l is a view in side elevation of a ball point pen or writing instrument embodying the present invention, the pen being shown approximately actual size and with the writing point exposed.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in vertical cross section longitudinally through the pen or writing instrument assembly of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary and further enlarged view in horizontal cross section taken in a plane represented by the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrows. Y

Fig. 4 is a view in vertical cross section taken in a plane represented by the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a view in vertical cross section taken in a plane represented by the line 5 5 of Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a view in vertical cross section taken on the irregular line 6 6 of Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary top plan view of the cap and vclip end of the pen or writing instrument.V

Fig. 8 is an enlarged plan view of the plunger for propelling the cartridge and its point to wn'tingposition.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged plan View of the spring latch for lntching and retaining the cartridge in writing position with the ball or writing point exposed.

Referring to the disclosure in the drawing and more particularly to the illustrative embodiment Vtherein shown, the novel ball point pen or writing instrument comprises a barrel or hollow member 10 adapted to receive a retractable and replaceable unit or cartridge 11 including a ball or writing point 12 at its outer or forward reduced end and a tubular ink receptacle or reservoir 13 provided with an ink feed tube 14 at its outer end for supplying ink or writing fluid to the ball or writing point 12. As clearly disclosed in Fig. 2, the forward end of theV tubular ink reservoir 13 is reduced to form the ink feed tube 14 and the latter is tapered at its extreme forward end to receive and seat the ball or writing point V12.

The barrel l0 is preferably formed of a plastic or other composition suitable for the purpose, andy at its forward end is tapered to form a writing tip l5 provided with a' reduced bore having spaced shoulders 16 and 17, v the shoulder 17 adapted to receive the complementary shoulder or reduction 18 on theink feed tube 14. The shoulder 16 is adapted to provide a seat for one end of a coil spring 19, the other end of this spring seating against spaced lugs or embossments 21 on an intermediate portion of the ink reservoir 13 of the cartridge 11 for springbiasing this cartridge unit and its ball or writing point the barrel is a plug 23 having an exteriorly threaded re: duction 24 adapted to be detachably secured to the barrel and recessed at 25 to receive the upper or inner end of the tubular ink reservoir 13 of the cartridge 11, This Y plug is provided with a transverse wall 26 slotted to receivethe reduced outer or forward end 27 of a relatively at and elongated plunger 28. This plunger is of such length as to extend from the position shown in Figs. 2

@soepen and '3 'where' the forward'end? thereof abuts the upper or inner end -of the cartridge il, to the interior `of Vthe upper closed end of a cap shell 29 where the bifurcated upper end 3l ofthe Vplunger seats conformably in the cap shell. lntermediate'thebifurcated end 3i with its longitudinal slot 32 andthe reduced outer or lower end 2'7l ',(Figp), `the plunger is `provided with a'substantially Vrectangular and laterally disposed slot 3f opening into the longitudinally Vextcndingslot 32, oppositely disposed shoulders or .offsets 34, an elongated, longitudinally extending slot35 having .a reduction at 36 at its'forward end, oppositely disposed shoulders or osets 37 and substantially rectangular slotsV 33 and 39 spaced apart to receive the depending ends or projections di and 42, respectively, of'a release bar i3 (Figs. 2 and 3) carried and movable in a longitudinallyV extending slot 44 (Fig. 6) in the plug V23.V

The plug 23 is also longitudinally slotted at 45 (Figs. 2, 3, V and 6) to receive the plunger 28 and a spring latch 'd6 (Fig. 9), the latter held adjacent its rear end against longitudinal .movement by a pin 47 passing through an opening 48 in the latch and with its endslocated in a vtransverse bore or opening 4% inthe plug 23. The spring latch 46 is offset at the rear at 5l where it is adapted to seat and locate against the rear end of the recess '35 as well asagainst the sidesof the cavity or slot 45 in the plug 23, and also reduced and inclined or ollset at the forward end at 52 to scat against the forward end of the slot 39 when the ball point is extended for writing and thereby latching and retaining the plunger 28m the extended position of Figs. 2 and 3. In this position (Fig. 2), the inclined end 52 is disposed adjacent.

an inclined or earn surface 53 on the depending end or projection 420i the release bar 43, whereby depressing thebutton or protuberance 54 on the release bar 43 which projects through a slot in the cap shell 22 depressed the forwarder inclined end 52 of the springlateh and permits the coil spring 19 to retract the cartridge 1l and move the plunger 2S, the release bar 43 and the cap shell 22 longitudinally to their retracted or elevated position. Such movement is permitted by reason of the arrangement and contour of the slots Vin the plunger 2S and the arrangement and contour of the slots in the plug 23, Vthe limit of movement being determined by the pin Ll' reaching the forward end of the slot 36.

`Mounted in the closed end of the cap shell 29 is a clamp member S5 having a substantially cup-shaped base 56 provided witha rearwardly tapered projection 57 the reducedend or lip 58 of which is bent outwardly to extend through a longitudinally extending slot .5@ in the cap shell 29 aligned therewith and, when assembled, this reduced end or lip is bent over and onto the cap shell at the lower or forward end of the slot as shown in Fig. 2. Spaced approximately 180 from the projection 57, the clamp member is provided with inwardly projecting. elongated and spaced flanges 61 adapted to pro?V vide a longitudinally extending channel or housing for receiving and retaining there-between a coil spring 62, the lower or inner end of which spring seats against or abuts the base 56 and the upper or outer end of this spring bears against a shoulder 63 on the pivotally mounted or fulcrumed end 64 of a rigid pocket clip 65.

When the clamp member 55 is mounted in the assembled position shown, a projection 6l) on each flange 6l is adapted to be received in the opposite ends of the transverse or laterally disposed slot 33 in the plunger 28, whereby these parts are connected in assembled relation. 'ifo mount this rigid pocket clip 65 in the upper end'of the cap shell 29 and associated with the clamp member 55, the upper end 64 of the clip is contoured to be received iu the longitudinally extending slot 59 in the cap shell, and is provided with a notch or recessat 66 adapted to conformably receive the edge 67 of the cap shell at the upper or rear end ofthe slot 59 and fulcrum about this edge as the rounded free or engaging end 68 on the shank 69 of the clip 65 ismoved toward or away from the cap shell. yAs will'be evident from Fig. 2, when the end or lip 58 projects through the slot 59 and is bent onto the cap 29, the enlarged end 6d of the clip is locked in the cap.

The drawing shows the cartridge ll and its ball or writing point l2 moved to extended or writing position in which the coil spring 19 is held under compression, ln this extended position, the cap shell 29, the clip 65, the plunger 28 and the release bar 43 all of which are slidably movable as a unit, have been moved or propelled to their lowered or extended position by the operator merely pushing downwardly or forwardly on the cap shell.

To release the plunger 28 and associated parts and permit retraction of the cartridge 11 and its ball or writing point 12 into the barrel of the holder, the button or protubcrance.l on the release bar 43 is depressed by pressing downwardly or inwardly on the free end 68 of the clip 65, whereby to depress the release bar and cause its depending ends 41 and 42 to in turn engage and depress the forward end of the'spring latch 46. This disengages or removes the inclined or offset latching part 52 of the'spring latch -46 from the slot 39 and releases it from latcning engagement with the plunger 28.

Upon such disengagement or release, the spring l automatically retracts the cartridgel ll and its writing point l2 into the barrel lil, and the cartridge through its engagement with-the plunger 2S forces the latter rear wardly over the spring latch e6 and carries therewith the cap shell 29, the clip 65, the clamp member 55 and the release bar-43 to their retracted position. To again move Vor propel the'cartridge l1 and its writing point l2 to By merely unseren/ing the barrel l@ from the plug 213,

the holder is disassembled and access is readily had to the cartridge Il for removal or replacement. The holder comprising the barrel and the plug are preferably formed of asuitable plastic composition and the remainder of any suitable metal, although any available material suit-- able for thevpurpose may be employed.

Having thusdisclosed the invention, we claim:

l. -A writing instrument comprising a hollow barrel provided with Aa'reduced opening at its forward end, a cap having oney end encompassing the other end of and longitudinally movable on the barrel, a cartridge slidably mounted in the barrel and provided with a writing point at its forward end adapted to be projected or retracted through said reduced opening, a slotted plug carried by said cap and at its forward end-provided with a threaded reduction towhichthe upper end of said barrel is detaehably mounted for removal of said barrel and replacement `of the cartridge, resilient means in the barrel torur'ging and spring-biasing the cartridge toward retracted position with the writing point retracted through said opening, 'actuating means in said plug for projecting the cartridge andits writing point through said opening to writing position and including a slotted' plunger longitudinally slidable and lguided in theplug and at its forward end engaging the cartridge and its rear end env gaging the interior of the cap, said cap when depressed moving said plunger in the plug to propel the cartridge and its writing pointtowriting position, a spring latch having a projection adaptedY to be received in the slot in the Vplunger for retaining said plunger in its propelled 2. A writing instrument comprising a barrel having a reduced opening at its forward end and internally threaded at the other, a cap having one end encompassing the other end of and longitudinally movable on the barrel, a cartridge slidably mounted in the barrel and provided with a writing point at its forward end adapted to be projected or retracted through said reduced opening, a hollow member carried by the cap and detachably mounted on the varrel for complete removal of the barrel and its contained cartridge, resilient means for urging and springbiasingthe cartridge toward retracted position in the barrel with the writing point retracted through said opening, actuating means for projecting the cartridge and its writing point through said opening to writing position and including a slotted plunger longitudinally slidable and guided in said member forV moving the cartridge to projected position, said cap moving said plunger in said member to propel the cartridge and its writing point to writing position, a spring latch member having its ends received in spaced slots in the plunger with one of said ends releasably retaining the plunger and the cartridge in propelled position for writing, a clip on said cap and released means engaged by a part on said clip and actuated by movement of said clip for engaging and releasing said one end of the latch member from its slot in the plunger whereupon said resilient means retracts said cartridge and its writing point.

3. A writing instrument comprising a holder having a barrel provided with a writing tip and a reduced opening at its forward end and a slotted plug detachably mount-f ed on the other end of the barrel, a cap carrying therein said slotted plug and encompassing the rear end of and longitudinally movable on said barrel, a cartridge slidably mounted in the barrel and provided with a writing point at its forward end adapted to be projected or retracted through said reduced opening of the barrel, resilient means for urging and spring-biasing the cartridge toward retracted position with the writing point retracted through said opening, a slotted plunger having an end engaging the cartridge and its other end engaged by the interior of the cap, said plunger being slidably mounted in the plug and actuated by movement of the cap to propel the cartridge and project its writing point through said opening to writing position, a spring latch bar having a part received in the slot of the plunger for releasably retaining the plunger and the cartridge in propelled position, a clip fulcrumed on said cap, and release means carried in the slot in the plug and having a part projecting through an opening in the barrel and in alignment with the clip and actuated by movement of the clip and a part projecting into the slot of the plunger for releasing the part on said latch bar engaging the plunger to release said plunger whereupon said resilient means retracts the cartridge and its writing point through the opening.

4. A ball point writing instrument comprising a slotted holder, a barrel detachably mounted on one end of said holder and provided with a longitudinal bore open at its forward end, a cartridge in said barrel having an ink reservoir and -a ball writing point at its forward end v adapted to be projected and retracted through the adjacent forward end of the barrel, a cap encompassing and slidably mounted on the other end of said holder, a longitudinally extending bar longitudinally movable in'a slot of said holder and with said cap and provided with spaced slots, said bar engaging the inner end of said cartridge for moving the latter to projected position upon movement of the cap toward the forward end of the holder and the barrel, a spring latch member disposed along the bar with its opposite ends bent and adapted to be received in the spaced slots in said bar and with one end of said latch member providing a latching end received in one of the slots of said bar for retaining the latter in projected position, a release bar having a projection also received in said one slot in the longitudinally extending par adjacent the latching end of the latch member and 6 adapted to depress and release the latching end of said latch member when depressed and a spring for retracting the cartridge, longitudinally extending bar and cap when the latch member is released.

5. A ball point writing instrument comprising a' slotted holder, a barrel detachably mounted on one end of said holder and provided with a longitudinal bore open at its forward end, a cartridge in said barrel having an ink reservoir and a ball writing point at its forward end adapted to be projected and retracted through the adjacent forward end of the barrel, an actuating cap encompassing and longitudinally movable on the other end of the holder, an elongated bar mounted for reciprocation in the slot of said holder and at one end engaging the cartridge and at its other end engaged by the interior upper end of said cap whereby movement of the cap is communicated to said bar and cartridge, a slot in said bar, a spring latch member disposed alongside said bar and provided with a spring latch element spring-biased into said slot and thereat retaining said bar and cartridge in projected position, a release member carried by said cap and slidably mounted in a slot in said holder, said released member having a part received in said slot of said latch member and engaging said latch element and a part projecting through and to the exterior of the cap and adapted to be depressed to release the latch element of said latch member and permit retraction of said bar and cartridge, and means for retracting said bar and cartridge upon release of the latch member.

6. A writing instrument comprising a slotted holder, a barrel open at its forward end and detachably connected at its rear to the holder, a writing unit in said barrel having a writing point at its forward end adapted to be extended or withdrawn through the adjacent forward end of the barrel, a cap member encompassing and longitudinally movable on said holder and the rear end of the barrel,an elongated, reciprocable plunger bar in said holder having one end engaging the cartridge and at its other end engaged by the interior of the cap whereby movement of the cap is communicated to said plunger and by it to the cartridge, said plunger bar having a slot intermediate its ends, a spring latch member having a resilient latching end adapted to be spring-biased into spring latching engagement in the slot of the plunger bar and retaining the plunger in extended position, a release bar longitudinally movable in the slot of said holder and movable with said cap and having a part received in the slot of said plunger bar and thereat engaging said latching end and a part projecting to the exterior of the cap and adapted to be depressed to release the latching end of said latch member and permit retraction of said plunger and cartridge, means for retracting said cartridge and plunger upon release of the latch member, and a clip pivotally mounted in said cap for engaging the projecting part of said release bar to release the plunger, said part on the release bar projecting to the exterior of the cap being so disposed as to be automatically depressed when the pen is returned to the pocket to be retained therein by the clip.

References Cited in the lle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,418,218 Bauer Apr. 1, 1947 2,427,069 Randolph Sept. 9, 1947 2,428,854 Randolph Oct. 14, 1947 2,498,857 Kanner Feb. 28, 1950 2,500,979 Coler-Dark Mar. 21, 1950 2,557,054 Mansheim .Tune 12, 1,951

FOREIGN PATENTS 628,418 France Oct. 24, 1927 948,908 France Feb. 7, 1949 641,595 Great Britain Aug, 16, 1950 814,568 Germany ,v Sept 24, 1951 

